Combined display package and rack



Nov. 1-, 1938. H. M. ABRAMS COMBINED DISPLAY PACKAGE AND RACK Original Filed May 7, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor 1938. H. M. A BRAMS 2,135,092

COMBINED DISFLAY PACKAGE AND RACK Original Filed May 7, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 2 2 --w. 53 llll +36 7 43 5 j /7. 53, ll

' I 1 Invenfor r f I a n 17 H. M Abrams Attorney Nov. 1, 1938. H. M. ABRAMS 2,135,093 I COMBINED DISPLAY PACKAGE AND BACK Original Filed May 7, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Attomey Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED .s'mrEsv COMBINED DISPLAY PACKAGE AND BACK Horace M. Abrams, Cambridge, N. Y.',assignor to D. G. Ashton and Spencer-B. Eddy, receivers 1 for Jerome B. Rice Seed 00., Cambridge, Mass,

a corporation of New York V .1 ,7

Application May 7, 1935, Serial No; "20,252 Renewed September 6,1938

2 Claims.

packages and the like, and an'important object of my invention is to provide a device of this kind which includes a number of individual containers suitable for shipping quantities of the seed packages and the like, the same being adjustable to hold the seed packages or the like in orderly display condition in connection with a rack portion, thereby in effect providing a stand containing a number of shelves.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a cardboard or similar material combined container and display device, which produces a minimum of shipping bulk in addition to the bulk of the feed packages or the like, and which although rugged and attractive in form and mechanically efiicient, is relatively inexpensive and is very easy to manufacture. 1 7

Other important objectsof my invention are to provide removable display trays separably and interchangeably mounted on a cardboard frame; a unique and efficient means of combining the trays with the frame; separable 'meansextending between the front and back of the trays to positively prevent bulging of the front of the trays when filled and while being filled, together with means on the back of the tray to prevent bulging of the back of the tray, the last-mentioned means functioning also to engage and assist in preventing the sagging of a tray next above while in position on the rack; and to so arrange the said means on the back of the tray'that it 'may, be utilized to engage and protect the contents of the tray while the tray is in shipment or storage; and to provide both integral and separable partitions or separators for the trays.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing a plurality of display containers mounted on the cooperating rack.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken therethrough.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inside of one of the containers.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the rack is formed.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank from which one of the trays or containers is formed.

" My invention relates generally to means for, containing and displaying such-articles as seed Referring in detail to the drawings and particularly to Figure 4; the numeral 5 generally designates the 'rack which is formed of a suitable piece of cardboard either plain or corrugated, and hav- 1, ing the upper edge 6 parallel to the lower edge 1 5 and inwardly of the ends of these edges the fold lines 8 and 9 which are parallel to each other. I A third foldline I is arranged parallel to and close to the bottom edge I. Aligned with the fold 8 is the right angular side of a V-shaped notch ll .whose hypotenuse side is'provided with a hookshaped locking tongue l2 to'engage a properly angulated slot I3 inwarlyof the right angular side H. A similar V-shaped notch M has the hypotenuse side formed with the locking tongue I to engage the slot I6. The lower edge 1 and the V-shaped notchesand the fold line Ill define the left hand bottom flange ll, the right hand bottom flange I8, and the back or center bottom flange l9, when the blank'is folded on'the vertical folding lines 8 and 9 and the flanges folded on the .fold line 10. e.

The bottom flanges provide reinforcement and support, in the manner of a base for affording a steady support to the rack upon a supporting surface. In order to give these flanges a still greater supporting effect, the tongues l2, l5 are engaged with the respective slots l3, l6. By this arrangement the triangular portions 20 and 2| are held in the desired angular relationship to the back part of the rack, so that the progressively 25 and 26 define the bottom of the container and in longitudinal extension of this bottom are the end projections 21 and 28 each of which is composedof an outer flap portion 29 and an inner flap portion 30. These flap portions are defined by respective fold lines 3| and 32, and each inner flap 3!! has adjacent its lower end "(when in posttion) a fold line 33 which'resultsin the foot 34 which rests on the bottom of the container as will be hereinafter pointed out.

Parallel to the fold line 26 is the fold line 35 which defines the back 36 and the back bracing and reinforcing flange 31.

A fourth fold line 38 defines the locking and reinforcing flange 4| which flange has the spaced vertical slots 39 and 40 therein.

The back 36 has at longitudinally spaced intervals thereof the fan-shaped tabs 42 and 43 which are conveniently cut out of the material of the back and are foldable on the fold lines 44 and 45. Locking tabs 46 are provided on the free ends of these partitions or separator tabs 42 and 43. As will be explained the locking tabs or fingers 46 are to be engaged with the slots 39 and 40 in the looking flange 4|. 7 V

The longitudinal flange 31 which is 'on the upper edge of the back of the container stops at the opposite end fold lines 41 and 48, respectively. These fold lines define in conjunction with the longitudinal slots 49 and 50 and the opposite edges of the projections 21 and 28, the front side flaps 5| and the back side flaps 52. The opposite ends of the locking flange 4| are disengaged from the front flaps 5|.

With the rack 5 set up in the manner indicated'and the base forming flanges looked as described, the trays or containers may bepushed into place thereon with a sliding motion.

In order to fold the blank constituting each tray 24, I have found it convenient, although there are other ways of folding the containers, to first fold the front end flaps on the fold lines 41 and 48 to a vertical position, then to fold on the line38; then to fold the projections 21 and 28 on the fold lines 41 and 48 so as to vertically position these projections; then to fold on the lines 35 so as to put the backflange 31 in a right angular position and then'to bring the back up on the line 25, at the same time bringing the front up on the line 25, so that the end flaps 5| and 52 canthen overlap and the end flaps 30 folded inwardly and downwardly on the fold lines 3| and 32 so as to lie against the inner side of the inner one of the end flaps with the feet 34 folded at right angles on the folds 33 so as to lie on the floor or bottom. The weight of the contents of the tray or container on the feet will positively lock the end flaps 39 in looking engagement with the front and back side flaps. The vertical inwardly extending flanges 53 which are. on the front 54 extend sufficiently inwardly in front of the contents of the container to afford lateral support thereto and support also to the forward edges of the locking endflaps 39.

The front flange 4| is bent downwardly and inwardly so as to lie against the back of the front 54. The fingers 46 on the fan-shaped separators 42 and 43 are then passed through the slots 39 and 4|], so as to lock the front and back in parallel relation and hold these separators positively in position across the interior of the container and above the upper edge of the front, as clearly indicated.

Additional removable separators the form of which is clearly shown in Figure 3 and generally designated by the numeral 55 are of the general triangular form shown and have at their lower ends the lateral flange 56 forming afoot for resting on the bottom of the container. The weight of the contents of the container upon'the foot 55', together with the lateral support afforded by the contents will hold the removable separators or partitions in the desired positions within and across the interior of the containers.

With the various side and end flaps folded as described above, there is left between the respective back and front flaps and the corresponding inside endtabs a space or slot to slidably receive the corresponding one of the parallel tabs 22 and 23 on the rack. With these rack flaps engaged as indicated the container or tray is pushed rearwardly until the end of the slot defining the particular rack tab is reached, whereat the tray or container will be properly positioned.

As clearly shown in Figure 2, the back flanges 31 engage the bottom of the next above container or tray so as to give support thereto. Another effect of this arrangement is to afford additional support and rigidity to the back of the next lower tray through the coaction of the flange with the back. It will also be observed that the double 'a more secure locking of the fingers on the integral partitions or separators, but also affords additional strength at the front of the container to prevent bulging. Further, the back flange 31 and the flange 4|, prior to being bent downinto position, afford good protection to the front and top of the contents of the container during shipment. The rack combined with the trays are sufliciently strongly connected to enable lifting and carrying the device as a whole from place to place either with all of the containers in place or with one or with more than one but less than all of the containers in place thereon.

Although I have shownand described herein a preferredembodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the'invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials, and in the structure .and arrangement of the parts, within the. spirit of the invention and the scope of thesubjoined claims.

What is claimed is: V l. A display rack comprising a folded cardboard support having projections, a folded cardboard tray on said support and removably'connected to said projections,rthe opposite ends of the tray being composed of overlapped side flaps and a projection including an inside end flap and an outside end flap, Lsaid outside end flaplying along the outside of the :outer oneof said side flaps and said inside end flap lying along theinner'side of the inner one of said side flaps, so as to lock the various flaps in position, the projections on the support being removably engaged between the outer side flaps and the inner side of the outside end flap and under the junction of the outside and insideflaps. V 2. A display rack comprising a folded cardboard support having projections, a folded cardboard tray on said support and removably connected to said projections, said support comprising a blank folded on two' spaced vertical lines toprovide a base wall and two opposite right angular side wallsextending forwardly from the back wall, said projections being formed on the front edges of said side walls, a flange on the lower part of each of said back wall and both side walls, and arranged to lie on a supporting surface to reinforce and lend rigidity to the various walls, and separable connection means for connecting HORACE. M. ABRAMS.

' CERTIFICATE or CQRRECTION. Patent No. 2,155,095.

November 1, 1958. HORACE M ABRAMS.

It is hereby certified that the address of the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously described and specified as "Cambridge, Massachusetts" een described and speci- New York, as shown by the record of assignments in and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read. with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Gffice.

whereas said address should have b fied as Cambridge,

this office;

si n'd and sealed this '(th day of February, A. D. 19 9.

Henry Van Arsdale.

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

